meaning.Not anymore. She went to work each day hoping Ian might drop by, then went home hoping he’d call.
She still hadn’t shed her fear of sailing. Ian would never give up his love of the sea…and she really didn’t expect him to. The day they’d spent on Lake Michigan had brought back nostalgic loving memories of her family. Her uncle particularly. He’d been fun and full of life. When he’d died, part of her had died, too.
That was the day she’d questioned God. Why did so many evil people live when good, kind people died in needless boating accidents? Her logic had furnished an answer. Humankind did not think like God. If they did, they’d be God. She’d read so often in the Bible that everything had a purpose. But her heart had wanted to understand the purpose. Her heart had wanted an answer.
Just as her heart did today. She needed answers. Besides being concerned about Ian, she knew her sister dwelled in her mind. Rachel had phoned and asked to drop by. Esther could guess why—she’d seen the look in Jeff’s face more and more. The man wanted his bride. He wanted a wife and family. Esther couldn’t blame him.
The telephone rang, and she headed for it, wondering if Rachel had changed her mind. She said hello, and held her breath when she heard Ian’s voice.
“You said we should talk…and I think we should,” he said. “Can I come over?”
Her pulse thumped in her temple, and she lookedat the clock. “Rachel’s dropping by any minute. This isn’t a good time.”
“Later, then?”
His request pressed her to the wall. “I don’t know how long she’ll be here, Ian.” Esther also couldn’t decide what to talk about anymore. What did she want from Ian?
The line was heavy with silence.
“I can phone you if she leaves early,” Esther added.
He expelled a lengthy breath over the wire. “Okay.”
“I’ll call as soon as she leaves.”
“Thanks,” he said, and hung up.
What would she say to him? Should she end the charade before he did? Should she ask him to continue playing the game despite her heightened emotions? If she could just get her father to think rationally. That’s what she longed for. His philosophy made no sense at all.
A noise sounded at the door, and Esther hurried to the kitchen as Rachel stepped inside. “Hi,” she said, her eyes shifting away from Esther’s gaze.
“Let’s sit in the living room,” Esther said, motioning toward the archway. “How about some iced tea?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
Rachel went ahead of her into the living room, and Esther filled two glasses, anticipating their conversation, which she knew would be emotional…and stressful.
When she stepped into the room, Rachel glanced up, then looked away and evaded Esther’s eyes.
After handing her the tea, Esther settled into a chair. “You look upset.”
Her sister shrugged. “Jeff and I had another argument.”
Knowing what was coming, Esther took a long drink of tea, giving her time to calm herself. “Over the engagement?”
“What else?”
“I don’t know what to say, Rachel. I’ve done as much as I can.” She’d done more than she ever thought she would, and now she’d agitated her own life trying to meet her sister’s needs. “What’s Jeff want you to do?”
“Elope.” Finally she looked at Esther. “You know I can’t do that.”
“I know.”
“He said if things don’t change soon he’s giving up.”
“Giving up?” The thought sent a wave of nausea through Esther. “He wouldn’t do that.”
“I never thought he would, but…” Tears pooled in Rachel’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “I don’t know anymore.”
“I can’t work miracles. You know that.” Esther clasped the bridge of her nose, praying for the right words. “I don’t know what the future holds for me, Rachel. I’m spending time with Ian.” She thanked the Lord for giving her the encouraging, yet careful words. “He’s a nice man.”
Silence hung on the air as Rachel
She still hadn’t shed her fear of sailing. Ian would never give up his love of the sea…and she really didn’t expect him to. The day they’d spent on Lake Michigan had brought back nostalgic loving memories of her family. Her uncle particularly. He’d been fun and full of life. When he’d died, part of her had died, too.
That was the day she’d questioned God. Why did so many evil people live when good, kind people died in needless boating accidents? Her logic had furnished an answer. Humankind did not think like God. If they did, they’d be God. She’d read so often in the Bible that everything had a purpose. But her heart had wanted to understand the purpose. Her heart had wanted an answer.
Just as her heart did today. She needed answers. Besides being concerned about Ian, she knew her sister dwelled in her mind. Rachel had phoned and asked to drop by. Esther could guess why—she’d seen the look in Jeff’s face more and more. The man wanted his bride. He wanted a wife and family. Esther couldn’t blame him.
The telephone rang, and she headed for it, wondering if Rachel had changed her mind. She said hello, and held her breath when she heard Ian’s voice.
“You said we should talk…and I think we should,” he said. “Can I come over?”
Her pulse thumped in her temple, and she lookedat the clock. “Rachel’s dropping by any minute. This isn’t a good time.”
“Later, then?”
His request pressed her to the wall. “I don’t know how long she’ll be here, Ian.” Esther also couldn’t decide what to talk about anymore. What did she want from Ian?
The line was heavy with silence.
“I can phone you if she leaves early,” Esther added.
He expelled a lengthy breath over the wire. “Okay.”
“I’ll call as soon as she leaves.”
“Thanks,” he said, and hung up.
What would she say to him? Should she end the charade before he did? Should she ask him to continue playing the game despite her heightened emotions? If she could just get her father to think rationally. That’s what she longed for. His philosophy made no sense at all.
A noise sounded at the door, and Esther hurried to the kitchen as Rachel stepped inside. “Hi,” she said, her eyes shifting away from Esther’s gaze.
“Let’s sit in the living room,” Esther said, motioning toward the archway. “How about some iced tea?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
Rachel went ahead of her into the living room, and Esther filled two glasses, anticipating their conversation, which she knew would be emotional…and stressful.
When she stepped into the room, Rachel glanced up, then looked away and evaded Esther’s eyes.
After handing her the tea, Esther settled into a chair. “You look upset.”
Her sister shrugged. “Jeff and I had another argument.”
Knowing what was coming, Esther took a long drink of tea, giving her time to calm herself. “Over the engagement?”
“What else?”
“I don’t know what to say, Rachel. I’ve done as much as I can.” She’d done more than she ever thought she would, and now she’d agitated her own life trying to meet her sister’s needs. “What’s Jeff want you to do?”
“Elope.” Finally she looked at Esther. “You know I can’t do that.”
“I know.”
“He said if things don’t change soon he’s giving up.”
“Giving up?” The thought sent a wave of nausea through Esther. “He wouldn’t do that.”
“I never thought he would, but…” Tears pooled in Rachel’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “I don’t know anymore.”
“I can’t work miracles. You know that.” Esther clasped the bridge of her nose, praying for the right words. “I don’t know what the future holds for me, Rachel. I’m spending time with Ian.” She thanked the Lord for giving her the encouraging, yet careful words. “He’s a nice man.”
Silence hung on the air as Rachel
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